Blind-stop



(No Model.)

A. ROWLEY.

BLIND STOP.

Patented Oct. 20 1891.

$ 513, QUOTA/M35 2 am'uaM/liov wbmwow UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ARTHUR ROVVLEY, OF CLAVERACK, NEIV YORK.

BLIND-STOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,524, dated October 20, 1891.

Application filed May 8, 1891. $erial No. 392,019. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR ROWLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glaverack, Columbia county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blind-Slat Adjusters and Locks; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference beng had to the accompanying drawings, formmg part of this specification.

The object of my invention is the provision of a simple device by which the slats of an ordinary window-blind may be locked in any desired position and which may be applied by any person without special tools and without requiring the exercise of any mechanical skill, and which, when in position, may be manipulated bya simple pressure of the thumb and forefinger upon the sides of the device.

To this end my invention consists in the novel constructionand arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a window-blind provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section, on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a modified construction of 0 the slat-rod, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lock.

Similar letters of reference are used to designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the 5 frame of the blind, within which are mounted the slats B. O is the lower and D the upper slat-bar.

My improved adjuster and lock E is constructed of a single piece of metal, preferably 40 spring-wire. This wire is bent into the shape substantially as shown in the drawings, two eyes 6 e being formed at the lower end of the lock to receive the screws 6 e, by which the lock is secured to the blind-frame. The ends of the wire are bent upwardly'from the eyes 6 6, so as to form the spring-arms e 6 and at a convenient distance above the eyes are bent toward and across each other in a horizontal direction and then upwardly and back toward each other, so as to form the thumb-pieces e e which project somewhat beyond the arms e e The free ends or terminals e e of the wire are carried past each other and are bent inwardly toward the blind-slats, so as to clasp the end of the slat-rod O on opposite sides, the spring action of the arms 6 6 serving to hold said ends firmly against the sides of the rod. A'stop c is secured to the lower end of the slat-rod O in such position that when the slats B are closed the stop will rest upon one end of the lock E, thus preventing the-blind from being opened until the lock is released. The releasing of the look is accomplished by a simple pressure exerted by the thumb and forefinger upon the thumb-pieces 6 6 whereby the ends of the lock which clasp the slatrod are forced apart sufficiently to permit the passage of the stop 0. The'stop 0 may be placed so as to lock the slats in any desired position, and, if desired, several stops may be arranged on the slat-rod, so that the slats may be locked in any one of several positions. I have found, however, in actual practicethat one stop is generally sufficient, because it is ordinarily only desired to lock the slats While' they are closed, and the simple pressure of the ends of the lock against the sides of the rod 0 is sufiicient to prevent the slats from being moved by the wind from any position in which they may be adjusted. A link or.

connection F, preferably formed of wire similar to that employed for the construction of the lock, connects the upper and lower slatrods, so that they may be moved simultane- .cient lock for the blind-slats, it is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and easily applied, and by the novel form of the device whereby the projections or thumbpieces e e are formed the lock can be manip ulated with one hand by simply pressing the thumbpieces inwardly or toward each other,

clamped between the ends of the lock, may be released by an inward pressure exerted upon the thumb pieces, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A blind-slat adjuster and lock adapted to be secured to a blind-frame and formed of a single piece of metal bent so as to form the spring-arms e e and the thumb-pieces e c" and having the terminals of the metal carried past each other and arranged to clasp the slat-rod on opposite sides, in combination with a stop carried upon the slat-rod, whereby the lock may be released from engagement with the red by pressing the thumb-pieces 'to- Ward each other, substantially as shown and described.

ARTHUR R0 WLEY.

Witnesses:

FREDK. J. COLLIER, M. H. BROWNING. 

